Foam Core Boat Building

Made popular by big expensive custom race boats in sail and power, foam core boatbuilding is now becoming more and more common on boat production lines around the world. The reasons for this are quite clear. Through years of perfecting their methods,builders who follow proper procedures are finding that foam core hulls and decks are rugged, safe, reliable, and long lasting.

Daggerboard and rudder foam blanks

The biggest advantage of building with foam, epoxy, and fiberglass is that it creates a lightweight but yet very stiff panel. Consider the problem of making a fiberglass panel stiffer. You can double the thickness, which would certainly make it stiffer, but you would be doubling the weight. So, instead, let’s split that original fiberglass panel in half and place it on either side of a foam panel. We now have the thickness of the doubled fiberglass panel but with half the weight.

Using the methods outlined in our foam core designs, we are bringing efficient foam core boatbuilding to custom one-offs and homebuilders. There is nothing exotic about it.

Epoxy and fiberglassed daggerboard and rudder

No special equipment or tools are needed. In fact, most homebuilders can achieve professional results with a jig saw, razor knife, screw gun, sander, and other small hand tools. So, sit back, enjoy our Introduction to Foam Core Boatbuilding video and when you are done browse through our L’Arche Dinghy Construction Album to see how efficient this method can be.